By no means Lose Your Popcorn Fundraising For Schools Again

Ultimate Flavors Gourmet Popcorn and Online Fundraising Ice Cream
Every Day is Popcorn Day

Whether you prefer plain, buttered, kettle, loaded with cheese or smothered in chocolate, American's love their popcorn. According to Ultimate Flavors Gourmet Popcorn and Ice Cream, the go-to place for gourmet popcorn since 2011, Americans consume 16 billion quarts of popcorn annually. Popping more than 1 million pounds of 'Made in the USA' popcorn annually, every day is Popcorn Day for the folks at Ultimate Flavors Gourmet Popcorn and Ice Cream.

In case visions of decadent treats are "popping" in your head right about now, why not whip up a few of the delicious recipes listed below in honor of National Caramel Popcorn Day. Depending on whom you ask some folks celebrate this sweet and salty food holiday, also referred to as Caramel Popcorn Day, on April 6, while others celebrate it on April 7. Then again, some may prefer to celebrate on both days. Not to be confused with National Popcorn Day in January or Popcorn Lover's Day in March, today lets celebrates the ooey gooey sticky treat that's fun to eat.

Who can resist the sweet combination of caramel with the salty crunch of popcorn
Caramel popcorn has been gobbled up since the 1890s when brothers Frederick and Louis Rueckheim introduced their molasses-covered popcorn at the World's Columbian Exposition.

Popcorn is quite a healthy snack it's also thought to be one of the oldest snacks known to man, people have been enjoying popcorn for thousands of years, in 1948 popped kernels were found estimated to be 5000 years old and were discovered in caves in New Mexico. It's also thought that Christopher Columbus introduced popcorn to Europeans in the late 15th century, the first commercial popcorn machine was made in Chicago in 1885, and the company still produces specialist equipment to this day. On average the popcorn kernels pop when they reach a temperature of approximately 175 degrees Celsius.

There's a bit of science mixed in with all of this sugary goodness
Did you know why caramel sometimes contains a small amount of baking soda? The soda makes the caramel softer and perfect for covering popcorn
Once the popcorn has baked for an hour, the resulting corn is crunchy, but melts in your mouth too. In a heavy saucepan, combine corn syrup, butter and brown sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low or until mixture is boiling slowly. Remove saucepan from the heat and add the baking soda, and salt; stir to combine. Carefully, pour the hot caramel over the popcorn and toss to coat. Once cool, spread the caramel corn out on a large piece of waxed paper. In the meantime, melt chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave
Pour the melted chocolate over the corn, tossing to coat. Allow to dry and then store in an airtight container.